John Holmes
05-03-2004, 09:06 AM
Sammy Hagar: Unchained
By David J. Criblez
http://www.vhnd.com/press/sh970615.html
The Road: Eddie Van Halen complained, back in the spring of 1994, that you went off promoting your solo best-of package when, then VH manager, Ed Leffler, died, causing strained feelings in the band. He said this is why he cut all his hair off in 1995. Is this true?
Hagar: "The truth of the matter is, it was bad timing, but it was three months after Ed Leffler died. Honestly, Ed was pissed about it but, not to my face. I told Ed that I was going through a divorce and my wife's lawyer was hitting me with X amount of dollars for my old catalog. Geffen came along and said we're gonna release the record anyway but they offered me the same amount of money that I owed my ex-wife to record a couple of new songs. I said I'd do it. I mean, it was not the end of the world. Shit, they did it with Roth behind my back. But, he didn't cut his hair because of that. He cut his hair off because he was wasted out of his brain in the middle of the night and Valerie wouldn't let him in the house. I was there man, I know. Let's get something straight, while I was in the band, Eddie was not sober. This thing about being sober for the last 2 1/2 years is bullshit. He may be sober now, I don't know cause I'm not around him. But, if he is, he better start drinkin' again, 'cause he's making some piss poor decisions, man."
Road: When did it all begin to deteriate?
Hagar: "The trouble started when Ed Leffler died because the communication began to breakdown. Eddie & I used to sit in rooms and write all those songs together. He was so excited about writing. He loved my lyrics and my singing. On Balance, it started to get a little funny. He hated the lyrics to 'Amsterdam.' I said, 'Ed, look, this is the way I see the city. Now, I know you were born there, why don't you write the lyrics?' He snaps, 'Ah, c'mon man you know I can't write lyrics or else I'd write em!' I said, 'Well, this is the song that I hear. That's the way I see the town. It's all about dope and pussy.' Everybody else dug the tune. So, Ed and I bumped heads a little bit, but I got my way. I'm usually hard-headed that way, I'll admit. Then, he didn't like the way I sang, 'Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do).' I said, 'Ed, I think this is the best vocal performance I've ever done in my life.' I sang the fuckin' shit outta that song. Ed goes, 'I don't like it when you scream like that.' I said, 'Ed, I'm the singer here. I can't hit a note that high. You find a guy that can hit a note that high without screamin' and I'll suck his dick, O.K.' Never before did things happen like that. Then with 'Baluchitherium,' (an instrumental off Balance) I really didn't have a good lyric for that. I told Eddie to just make it an instrumental. Then, Ed blamed me for ruining the song by not wanting to write lyrics for it. I said, 'Ed, it's so melodic, you can't sing to it.' Ed then accused me of not wanting to work hard and for being lazy. We started fighting then.
Road: How did it progressively worsen from here?
Hagar: "We came off one of the biggest tours he had ever done. My wife was pregnant, Eddie was walkin' with a cane, Alex had a neck brace on, things were vulnerable. Our new manager, Ray Danniels bullied the band into doing some new music for the 'Twister' soundtrack and a Greatest Hits package."
Road: Why was Ray Danniels pushing the 'Twister' soundtrack so much? Was it the money?
Hagar: "The 'Twister' thing was a large amount of money for a soundtrack, but it was a shit amount of money in comparison to what we make. Ray was just always looking for ways to make his cut. The guys wanted to do it for some stupid reason. I went along with it. Meanwhile, my wife was in Maui ready to give birth.
Road: How could the band be so insensitive to your family situation?
Hagar: "I called it obtuse. It was beyond insensitive. It was about as rude a situation as you could possibly have. The baby wouldn't turn upside down, so we knew it was going to be cesarean. So, we picked the date. I said to Al, 'If you think I'm gonna fly to L.A. and sit with you guys and argue over new songs for a 'Greatest Hits' record, you're crazy.' His response was, 'Hey, Mikey was on the road when he had his first baby!' I said, 'Well, good for Mikey! You assholes probably made him do it, too! Eddie wasn't on the road when Wolfie was being born and you weren't on the road when Eric was being born. I'll quit this band before that!' My family is so much more important then anything. We got into it, man. I was like, 'Fuck you, guys, you pieces of shit!' They'd be like, 'O.K., O.K. just come down for one day.' I'd come down for a day and they'd say, 'Why can't you stay longer!' I couldn't leave my wife for that long, all alone, when she was so close to delivering. They kept saying on MTV, 'He never wanted to work.' What they forgot to say was that my wife was in the hospital with kidney stones on a monitor in Maui with a helicopter waiting to take her to the main hospital. They're sayin' I flew home and didn't wanna work. I don't get it, these guys were wacked out."
Road: Do you think your wife's pregnancy broke up VH?
Hagar: "If my baby coming into this world, spilt up this band, then those men are criminals. When Wolfie or Eric (Eddie and Alex's boys, respectively) were born, I didn't quit the band and run off and do a solo LP. I was supporting them. If me falling in love with a woman and having a child effects this band, then they're crazy. If there's a Yoko Ono in this band it's Valerie Bertinelli, not my wife, Kari. I know that she has Ed's ear...you know how women are, man."
Road: Explain the actual break-up call...
Hagar: "Eddie called me and told me he was working with Roth for the last couple of weeks and that it was going great and that I should go back to being a solo artist. (Begins to mimic Eddie Van Halen, voice and all) 'Aw , man you never do anything anybody asks you. All you ever do is everything you wanna do. I can't deal with it anymore, so I got so frustrated I went and got Roth back. We've been working for the last couple of weeks and it's going great. We're gonna do a reunion tour and a couple of new songs for a greatest hits record, 'cause you didn't wanna do it, so you might as well go back to being a solo artist.' Quote , unquote. I'm going, 'Huh?'"
Road: Was that the last straw?
Hagar: "Yeah. When they went and got Roth back in the band...To me, that was the biggest backstab I could imagine. I wanted to be, the lead singer of Van Halen for the rest of my life, but when Ed told me they were getting Roth back in the band-I was like, 'Fuck You, Fuck Roth and Fuck everybody.' I was pissed. It was like coming home and finding your wife in bed with her old boyfriend."
Road: Do you believe Van Halen had planned a reunion tour with David Lee Roth?
Hagar: "Without question. They had a reunion tour booked, because I was going to go to Europe and break in a band. The promoters said, Van Halen has got the billings and it would be good for me to be there at the same time. I said, 'Wow.' Instead of going right in the studio, I was going to do this thing backwards, by playin' clubs in Europe in the fall of 1996. That was a fact. Ray Danniels was the one who built the whole, 'Dave's Back' thing. He was involved in it long ago, probably two months before I even knew. I was in there, trying to change my baby's diapers, and these guys are planning this whole thing with David Lee Roth Ścause the manager told MTV, who told me personally, that Van Halen was gonna play the MTV Music Awards with David Lee Roth and then announce the tour. Then, it blew up in their face two weeks before that when they went to rehearse. Dave couldn't sing the old songs. So, they said they would then just present an award. They were planning a tour and all that stuff."
Road: How can you confirm that? Do you think they were outright lyin' about having no reunion plans?
Hagar: "Valerie went on the internet and said, 'Dave is back, it's better then it used to be. They're gonna do two new songs for a greatest hits and go on tour.' I have the computer read out at my house. Then she disappeared off the net. Those guys are lying to save face. That's what my first single, 'Little White Lie,' is centered upon. They wanted to do a reunion with Roth and I believe Roth is telling the truth and I would never side with that fuckin' guy. They were conned into it by the manager, and they didn't have to do it. These guys are idiots! Eddie says he's sober, he's full of shit. If he is sober, then he should start drinkin' again. They are making the worst decisions."
Road: It seems so bizarre that the band would fall for the idea of bringing Roth back...
Hagar: "Al and Mike were dead against it, so was Eddie, I don't know what happened, I think they just got talked into it. It was a money thing, they figured, 'Hey, we'll make a bunch of money.' Valerie even said it on the Internet, I have the printout at home. Roth got fucked on that one-there ain't no doubt about it. It was probably from his own doings...I mean, did you see him on MTV? Pretty stupid, ya know...that is why Dave will never be an artist, cause he won't cut that bullshit loose."
Road: Do you ever feel that if the Kiss reunion never came to pass, that this whole Roth thing would have never happened?
Hagar: "Absolutely-100% positive. He even said it to me. He said he could get huge guarantees and a huge buyout concert tour for a Van Halen reunion tour and Roth would work cheap. He kept putting that little hint to me because I wouldn't get along with Ray. I would buck a lot of things he did or said, 'cause I felt he was selling the band down the river. He was always bucking with me and that was his little inside joke. 'Just got an offer from Howard Stern for 3 million dollars for a VH reunion track with Dave for the 'Private Parts' movie soundtrack.' Meanwhile, I just did Howard's show this morning, and Stern told me that Danniels asked him for $1 million dollars for the track and that he told them, 'No way can I pay Van Halen $1 million dollars.' Ray told me, in the same room with the band, that he got an offer of an excess of $3 million dollars for a VH reunion track with Dave. This is before we split. Eddie said, 'What did they offer for us?' (meaning VH with Sam). Ray says, 'Uh, I dunno...a lot less.' Eddie and I looked at each other and said, 'That's a fuckin' insult! You can tell them all to get fucked! That's bullshit!' Eddie and I were in agreement. This is the kind of thing he would do to try and manipulate me and I can't be manipulated."
Road: Be honest, did Roth's reputation intimidate you a bit?
Hagar: "I didn't wanna be compared to old Van Halen. I'll be honest with you, I did have some insecurities. I would walk out on stage every night knowing those people wanted to hear, 'Jump' and 'Runnin' With The Devil' and I wasn't gonna do Śem. I was a little bit nervous about that, but at the same time, I knew the new music we had made was powerful and strong. I just came off a successful solo tour, so it was easier. I thought the best thing that we could do was come out as a brand new band. That's what we tried to do."
Road: You mentioned, in recent interviews, that you'd like to meet Roth. What would you ask him?
Hagar: "The first thing I would ask him is, 'Exactly when were you contacted? What did they say was up? What did they tell you? Why did they say they wanted you back? Did they tell you, 'Sammy's not in the band anymore'? Did they say, 'We're gonna get rid of Sammy'? Sammy's left the band?'"
Road: Did you hear the two songs with Roth- Me Wise Magic & Can't Get This Stuff No More? What was your opinion of them?
Hagar: "I didn't think it was worth breaking the band up for (laughs). But, it wasn't bad. When I first heard, 'Me Wise Magic,' I thought it was some bad ass music. I would have liked to tear that fucker up. The other one was a reject from Balance, that I wrote with Eddie, called, 'The Backdoor Shuffle.' They totally stole the melody in the chorus from my original. I just made one phone call and Ray Danniels overnighted me a check for $35,000, saying he was sorry. These guys don't have any class anymore."
Road: Every band has tension but what was Van Halen lacking that couldn't mend the tension?
Hagar: "A band like Van Halen needs good guidance. You need a good strong arm like Ed Leffler. He wouldn't let us do things. If they wanted to do that milk commercial, Ed would have said, 'NO WAY!' We probably wouldn't even have heard that we got asked to do it, Ścause it would have been turned down before we could even hear about it. The second Ray Danniels came into the picture, everything changed. They'll do anything, 'cause it's all about money now, which is crazy, 'cause Eddie doesn't need money. We tried other managers...we could have had Shep Gordon and Johnny Barbis as a team, who were going to team up and manage Van Halen, for the same price as Ed Leffler. We could have had Aerosmith's ex-manager, Tim Collins, who did a great job with them, if you notice, they're not doing as good without him. Every manager in the world stepped up to the plate."
Road: Did you feel manager Ray Danniels was brought in on the sneak?
Hagar: "They picked him long ago. I went through a lot of hassle, spinning my wheels, interviewing guys, asking David Geffen who it should be. They didn't even care."
Road: How did Ray Danniels come into the picture?
Hagar: "Ray Danniels was already told that he had the job by Alex and Eddie Van Halen before even speaking to me about it. They were acting like, 'Well, what are we gonna do for a manager?' They said, 'Would you mind meeting with Ray?' I said, 'Of course I wouldn't mind meeting with Ray.' But in my head, I was going, 'There's enough family in this band!' Plus, I really didn't like the guy. I had met him before 'cause he came down for a few shows when we played in Toronto. So, I met with Ray and started to ask him a few questions...He lives in Toronto and our record company and the band members live in California. So I said, 'Ray, would you have an office in L.A.?' He goes, 'What? Join the boys club in L.A.? No, thanks!' I said, 'Well, that's a negative' (to the guys in the band). Next question, 'What percentage do you want, Ray?' He says, '20%....of the gross.' So I said, 'So, you want to make twice as much money as us?!' He starts hemming n'hawwing, going, 'Well, you know...' I said, 'No, no ...OUT! No way!' It was always a fight with him, cause all he wanted was to take, take, take. Ed Leffler made 15% of the net. Ed Leffler was the greatest rock manager that ever lived, because he came into such a big band with me and worked honestly. He was on a net guild, like the band-we're on a net deal. We paid out all our expenses. Well, this clown (Danniels) wanted 20% of the gross!"
Road: Why did they agree to that?
Hagar: "Cause he's Alex's brother-in-law and they already told me he had the gig. These guys are still paying him that much. I never paid him a penny. That's why I'm outta the band, that's 1/2 the reason."
Road: So, it was Ray Danniels is mostly at fault for this fiasco?
Hagar: "Yup. It was Ray Danniels who was poisoning Ed's mind, putting the wedge between us. On the 'Balance' tour, Ed and I had separate dressing rooms, not by my request. Things started changin'. I saw it dying, I knew that this was it. I told Ray Danniels, 'You gotta do something to bring this band together, like Aerosmith does, cause I can't work with Eddie.' If I said 'black' Ed would push for 'white' and Alex would side with Śem. I didn't wanna be around 'em and I wasn't being cooperative, I admit."
Road: Do you think Ray felt threatened by you?
Hagar: 'Totally. I used to tell Ray more about the business then he knew half the time. He would come to me and say, 'What do you think about this, and what do you think about that?' I'd say, 'Here's what I think...' He'd continue to hem n'haw, never, 'Oh, great idea, I'll do it.' then he'd go back and get with Ed and Al with a different idea, blow my whole idea out. Making himself feel like, 'Hey, I'm taking charge here!' He was always trying to show us that he was Mr. Smart, Mr. Fearless. He would make fuck-up after fuck-up..the guy's a clown."
Road: Who headed the band?
Hagar: "When I came into this band, there was no hierchary, that was Dave's job. Roth was the leader of Van Halen, no question about it. The rest of the guys were totally passive. These guys didn't have a fearless leader. When I came into the band, I sort of became the leader. I took Alex on as my partner, because he was more business-like then the others. I could say, 'Al, c'mon that's not a good thing we shouldn't do that' or 'Hey, we should do that' or ŚWe gotta be careful here.' Alex and I took care of a lot of that stuff, while Eddie and I wrote the music."
Road: How did you keep track of band developments on the managerial side?
Hagar: "Ed Leffler and I were close. He was my manager when I was a solo artist. I always wanted to know what was going on, on the business side of things. With a band, it's more difficult, 'cause as a manager you can't call each guy in the band and tell the same story...it's a busy thing. So you call one guy and he tells everybody else or when you see the band, you say, 'Hey, by the way...' Ray talked to Alex and Eddie a lot. He wouldn't talk to me. Then I would find out what they were up to and say, like, 'Whatta ya mean we're doing a Greatest Hits record? Eddie, we sat here and fought a Greatest Hits record for years and we all agreed we didn't want one. Ray Danniels was renegotiating the VH Warner Brothers contract, and he was adding to it, two Greatest Hits records, guaranteed. He was making a big deal for a lot of money. But, we didn't need money. I posed the question, 'Would you do a Greatest Hits record for free? Do you think it's the right move for this band? If not, then don't do it for money, man, 'cause I don't need money- I'm cool."
Road: Is it true, that built in your contract with Warner Brothers was a clause allowing you to make solo albums for the label?
Hagar: "I had a contract with Warner Brothers that I could do a solo album after every Van Halen record, but the band would never let me do it. Ed Leffler would say, 'Sammy, your crazy. This is the greatest band in the world. You do anything to hurt this band, I'll break your neck. Eddie's right you're wrong.' So, I'd admit it. So I wouldn't do it. Or, then he'd say the same to Eddie, 'Sammy built the club in Cabo San Lucas, he deserves to go down there for a couple of weeks and vacation and play with different musicians. That ain't hurtin' Van Halen, it's good for this band. Eddie, you're wrong.' Eddie would say, 'O.K. Ed.' On the other hand, Ray Danniels would say, 'Fuckin' Sammy's down in Cabo. Whatta you guys think he's doing, he's gonna quit the band, he's startin' a new band down there. I don't trust him.' If I wanna kill anybody on the planet, it's him."
Road: You seemed like you were close with VH bassist Mike Anthony while you were in the band. Do you two still talk?
Hagar: "They got Mike by the balls. Mike is still my friend but he can't go against the brothers, they'll kill him. They've had him by the balls forever. Mike means well, but he is doing what they tell him. Believe me, Mike knows everything that happened. One day, he will write a book and we'll all find out. Mike left a New Year's message on my answering machine. He was wasted. (Imitates Mike) 'Sam, I gotta talk to ya brother! I miss ya, I love ya, man. Ooooh, you don't know, man, you don't know what's goin' on.' I'm going, 'I think I got a good idea, Mikey.' I called him back two days later when I got home and left two messages on his machine but he never returned my call."
Road: How would you describe guitarist, Eddie Van Halen as a person?
Hagar: "Eddie's the kinda guy where if he was walking down the street and someone said to him, 'Hey, man the lyrics on 'Amsterdam' sucked.' He would go back to the studio and say it sucked. But, if someone came up to him in the same day, and said, 'Hey, those lyrics on Amsterdam' are cool!' He would come to the studio and say, 'You should write more stuff like that!' Now, that's not what happened. I'm just givin' you an example of the way he is. Ed is easily manipulated, it's ridiculous."
Road: How do you feel about drummer, Alex Van Halen?
Hagar: "I used to say to my wife, 'Alex is the kinda guy I could call up at 4AM in the morning and say, 'I need you to help me' and he'd jump into his automobile, light up a cigarette, crack open a beer and be over in minutes, with a gun and all the cash he's got.' I can honestly say that about Alex Van Halen. Eddie almost the same. Michael...I'd never ask him to do something like that. Mike was my hangin' buddy. I'd call him up and say, 'Mike, let's go jam in Cabo this weekend!' Michael's not evil, the brothers just got him by the balls. I've always felt sorry for Mike. I was the only guy who stood up for Mike. He's in trouble now, Ścause he's got no one to stick up for him. I fought for Mike all the time."
Road: You came into contact with the band only once after the break-up when you saw each other at a mutual friend's funeral. What was the exchange?
Hagar: "Eddie was soooo uncomfortable, 'cause he felt soooo guilty. (Imitates Eddie) 'Aw man, it's so uncomfortable. I love ya, man.' He gives me a hug, but he couldn't even look forward, plus, he had sun glasses on. I'm goin', 'Hey, Ed...whatta ya, so uncomfortable about? It's no big deal.' (Hunches down sheepishly mimicking Ed) He says, ŚIt doesn't feel right runnin' into ya.' I'm going, 'WHY?!' (laughs) It was very obvious to me. Because your feelin' guilty motherfucker? I didn't say that, 'cause of the funeral circumstances, but if you we were anywhere else, I would have said, 'Take off your shades Ed and let's talk about this eye to eye.' Alex was totally cool, we shook hands. Mikey gave me a quick hug and then went back with Eddie, 'cause if he was seen with me they would have beat him up in the car ride home (laughs). The brothers are tough on Mike, man."
Road: What was your opinion of their choice of Gary Cherone (former Extreme singer) for the band's singer #3?
Hagar: "Gary Cherone, although I don't know him-everybody says that he's the nicest guy in the world and I don't deny his talent, but he's got his hands full. He's got to fill not only my shoes, but Roth's shoes. It was a tough enough job for me and I was coming off a double platinum album. He's coming from zero."
Road: Have you heard some of Nuno Bettencourt's (ex-Extreme guitarist) comments ....
Hagar: "Fuck him, man. He was sayin' shit like, 'Van Halen finally sounds like a real rock band. They got a good lyricist for a change and a charismatic performer.' I'm saying, 'Well, if you were both so fucking good, why didn't you guys make it?' Nuno came to a show one time and I complemented him on 'More Then Words.' I asked him if Gary was his brother because of the way their voices blended so well. He goes, 'Fuck no! That asshole ain't my brother!' I knew they were done then, the guy's got a bit of an ego trip. But, it's going to be tough for Gary. I always had an advantage over Roth that I could really sing. He's up against more then that. Personally, I don't think you're gonna see the band last."
Road: I understand you suspected Van Halen of rehearsing other singers behind your back?
Hagar: "Stevie Salas, a friend of mine, who was dating Sass Jordan, calls me up in February or March of 1996 and goes, 'Wow, man. What's going on?' I said, 'What do ya mean, what's going on?' He said, 'Fuck, man, my old lady's over there jammin' with Eddie & Al saying that if she didn't have tits, she would be the singer of the band.' I had the baby April 1st, so in March, I wasn't coming down so they knew it was safe to bring people down. But, I didn't believe it till later on. I then realized, 'These guys have been planning this forever.' I still love Ed, Al and Mike, I can't help it. We did such great things together and the end was very disappointing. But, it is what made Marching to Mars as great as it is. Disappointment turned into creativity for me. I'm the type of person, you tell me I can't do somethin', I'll do it twice as hard."
Road: Did you hear that Roth is finally gonna publish his autobiography with new chapters on the Van Halen botched reunion...
Hagar: "Good for him. I feel bad for Roth, 'cause I don't think he has a career anymore. Unfortunately, he never crossed over as an artist, he was always a showman. Now, he has to be a clown his whole life or be a gossip monster, that's why he's writing that book: to sell dirt. I actually feel more sorry for Eddie and Alex, 'cause they're pitiful right now."
Road: I heard your writing a book, is that true?
Hagar: "I am, but it's not just a Van Halen gossip book, it's the story of my life. It won't come out for a while...But, listen, if you see Roth, tell him we gotta talk. I know his book is comin' out and I'm not lookin' to steal any fire from him."
Road: There are a lot of crazy rumors currently surrounding the band. What have you heard about the VH camp recently?
Hagar: "I heard Alex was fired from the band. Apparently, he's back to his ol' drinking ways. They have tried to get him back to rehab, he's in bad, bad shape. I called Scotty Ross (VH Road Manager) and offered to come down. I told him, 'I was there the first time we put Al away and I'll be there again. I'll sit there and look Eddie straight in the eye and I'll help.' "
Road: I can't honestly believe Eddie would kick Al out of the band...
Hagar: "Let me tell you, they fight...and without someone like me or Ed Leffler there to mediate it, it's trouble, 'cause Ray ain't gonna do it. Word from my attorney, who is their attorney as well, is that Ray is afraid to go down there. He ain't helping out, he should be there for them right now. Mikey's not playing on this record. It's fucked up. I heard Gary is back in Boston, 'cause Eddie's writing with this Mike Post guy, the jingle-TV theme songwriter. I'll pat myself on the back here, Eddie now knows what I did in that band. Those guys take everything for granted, they don't realize what other people do. They didn't realize what Ed Leffler did for them, they don't realize what Ray Danniels is doing to them. They don't know...Eddie's probably sayin to himself, 'Why don't I have any songs yet?' I heard he's trying to do a double album. Why does he have a double album worth of music and no songs yet? That's because Sammy made songs outta that music. I'm the one who wrote the melodies and lyrics saying, ŚThat's a verse, that's a chorus.' Mike Post is now helping Eddie arrange lyrics and melodies for someone to sing, 'cause Gary Cherone can't walk in and do it. I'm not an easy guy to replace."
Road: Do you want to beat out Van Halen re: sales, concerts, etc.?
Hagar: "You bet I would. To be as successful as VH would be a dream come true. As much as they want me to roll over and die, I want to make this work. They are trying to make me the bad guy, like they did with Roth, 'cause it worked for them the last time. That's another manipulation by the manager."
Road: How has Van Halen changed you?
Hagar: "Van Halen has made me a better musician, a better songwriter and better singer. Playin' with a guy like Eddie for 11 years, if you're not a better guitar player, then you should never pick up the instrument again. I didn't copy what he did, but I understand the instrument better and heard what a master can do. It's inspiring."
Road: Do you feel old, as you're reaching the 1/2 a century mark?
Hagar: "Fuck, no. I can run 18 miles, ride a mountain bike 50 miles. I can knock out 100 push-ups and sit-ups at a time. I'm in as good a shape as I've ever been."
Road: Eddie seems to think there's a generation gap between you two...
Hagar: "Eddie acts like he's so much younger then me, but these guys shave years, I don't. Eddie's sayin' shit like, 'I'm like 40, man and he's like 50.' I'm goin, 'No, I'm 49 and your 43, Ed. Don't be readin' the bio! (laughs)."
Road: Is it weird to have a son in his twenties and a baby at the same time?
Hagar: "It's fantastic. My baby has an uncle and a big brother all wrapped up in one and a father and a grandfather all in one, too (laughs)! I'm as happy as I can be."
Road: I realize you happy now, but, what was your initial reaction when realizing you were back to being a solo artist?
Hagar: "I felt like, I don't wanna do this but I know how to do this and I will do this. Once I started, I got into it and started lovin' it. There was a lot of freedom. I started to get excited. I was free again, it felt good. I was responsible for the lyrics and melodies in VH. When I began writing my own music, I realized, this is fun. No wonder Ed digs doing this shit and sticks me with the lyrics."
The Road: Are you concerned about losing the Van Halen fans you spent the last 11 years with? Do you think they will be into your solo material?
Sammy Hagar: "I think so. I was in the band for 11 years, we developed a whole new following. I think a lot of fans will wanna check out what I'm doing. I'm gonna play 3 hours-old Hagar songs, VH songs, Montrose songs, acoustic set in the middle, new songs, no opening act. If you liked Van Hagar, you'll like what I'm doing. I was worried about the Van Halen fans because I kinda made a departure and those guys tried to make me out as the bad guy, but I gotta tell you now-I didn't quit this band. I would have never quit this band. Plus, I want the fans to know that I didn't fuck'em and I would never fuck'em."
Road: Can you ever see yourself smoking the peace pipe with VH?
Hagar: "I can't stand to think that I will never be on stage with Van Halen again. I know someday we'll get together...not for a reunion tour, not for a reunion record, but for a benefit or free concert. To put that magical thing we have back together for a good cause would be great. My hope is, one day enough time will go by that we can give each other big hugs, be the friends that we once were and maybe play that music one mo' time. If that never happened then it would be so much more disappointing then what just happened."
Road: Say Roth wasn't ever brought back into the picture, would you have still parted from the band?
Hagar: "Yeah. If I was in that band, I would probably quit right now. After the 'Twister' soundtrack (with one song), Greatest Hits w/ two new songs, milk ad and Nissan commercial. I would have quit, but I was gone before all that. When Ed Leffler died, the band that we created in 1986, died with it. I'm sorry to say that, cause they are all great musicians. But, their integrity and consideration for the people who put them in their positions, sucks."
Road: The real shame, is that one of the greatest rock bands in the world turned into a total soap opera...
Hagar: "Yeah and the new manager allowed it. I gotta blame Ray Danniels (VH Manager) for damn near everything. It's poor guidance Van Halen has always been a soap opera. Back when Alex used to drink and Eddie was doing drugs, it was worse. And I'm not tryin' to burn on these guys, but it was horseshit. Between Eddie being in jail for drunk drivin' and his fights with Valerie-it was crazy. Ed Leffler, our old manager, kept it out of the press. This new fuckin' criminal crams it out in the press, 'cause he thinks press is good for this band to keep them famous. Van Halen has the worst guidance in the world right now and that's why I'm not there."
By David J. Criblez
http://www.vhnd.com/press/sh970615.html
The Road: Eddie Van Halen complained, back in the spring of 1994, that you went off promoting your solo best-of package when, then VH manager, Ed Leffler, died, causing strained feelings in the band. He said this is why he cut all his hair off in 1995. Is this true?
Hagar: "The truth of the matter is, it was bad timing, but it was three months after Ed Leffler died. Honestly, Ed was pissed about it but, not to my face. I told Ed that I was going through a divorce and my wife's lawyer was hitting me with X amount of dollars for my old catalog. Geffen came along and said we're gonna release the record anyway but they offered me the same amount of money that I owed my ex-wife to record a couple of new songs. I said I'd do it. I mean, it was not the end of the world. Shit, they did it with Roth behind my back. But, he didn't cut his hair because of that. He cut his hair off because he was wasted out of his brain in the middle of the night and Valerie wouldn't let him in the house. I was there man, I know. Let's get something straight, while I was in the band, Eddie was not sober. This thing about being sober for the last 2 1/2 years is bullshit. He may be sober now, I don't know cause I'm not around him. But, if he is, he better start drinkin' again, 'cause he's making some piss poor decisions, man."
Road: When did it all begin to deteriate?
Hagar: "The trouble started when Ed Leffler died because the communication began to breakdown. Eddie & I used to sit in rooms and write all those songs together. He was so excited about writing. He loved my lyrics and my singing. On Balance, it started to get a little funny. He hated the lyrics to 'Amsterdam.' I said, 'Ed, look, this is the way I see the city. Now, I know you were born there, why don't you write the lyrics?' He snaps, 'Ah, c'mon man you know I can't write lyrics or else I'd write em!' I said, 'Well, this is the song that I hear. That's the way I see the town. It's all about dope and pussy.' Everybody else dug the tune. So, Ed and I bumped heads a little bit, but I got my way. I'm usually hard-headed that way, I'll admit. Then, he didn't like the way I sang, 'Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do).' I said, 'Ed, I think this is the best vocal performance I've ever done in my life.' I sang the fuckin' shit outta that song. Ed goes, 'I don't like it when you scream like that.' I said, 'Ed, I'm the singer here. I can't hit a note that high. You find a guy that can hit a note that high without screamin' and I'll suck his dick, O.K.' Never before did things happen like that. Then with 'Baluchitherium,' (an instrumental off Balance) I really didn't have a good lyric for that. I told Eddie to just make it an instrumental. Then, Ed blamed me for ruining the song by not wanting to write lyrics for it. I said, 'Ed, it's so melodic, you can't sing to it.' Ed then accused me of not wanting to work hard and for being lazy. We started fighting then.
Road: How did it progressively worsen from here?
Hagar: "We came off one of the biggest tours he had ever done. My wife was pregnant, Eddie was walkin' with a cane, Alex had a neck brace on, things were vulnerable. Our new manager, Ray Danniels bullied the band into doing some new music for the 'Twister' soundtrack and a Greatest Hits package."
Road: Why was Ray Danniels pushing the 'Twister' soundtrack so much? Was it the money?
Hagar: "The 'Twister' thing was a large amount of money for a soundtrack, but it was a shit amount of money in comparison to what we make. Ray was just always looking for ways to make his cut. The guys wanted to do it for some stupid reason. I went along with it. Meanwhile, my wife was in Maui ready to give birth.
Road: How could the band be so insensitive to your family situation?
Hagar: "I called it obtuse. It was beyond insensitive. It was about as rude a situation as you could possibly have. The baby wouldn't turn upside down, so we knew it was going to be cesarean. So, we picked the date. I said to Al, 'If you think I'm gonna fly to L.A. and sit with you guys and argue over new songs for a 'Greatest Hits' record, you're crazy.' His response was, 'Hey, Mikey was on the road when he had his first baby!' I said, 'Well, good for Mikey! You assholes probably made him do it, too! Eddie wasn't on the road when Wolfie was being born and you weren't on the road when Eric was being born. I'll quit this band before that!' My family is so much more important then anything. We got into it, man. I was like, 'Fuck you, guys, you pieces of shit!' They'd be like, 'O.K., O.K. just come down for one day.' I'd come down for a day and they'd say, 'Why can't you stay longer!' I couldn't leave my wife for that long, all alone, when she was so close to delivering. They kept saying on MTV, 'He never wanted to work.' What they forgot to say was that my wife was in the hospital with kidney stones on a monitor in Maui with a helicopter waiting to take her to the main hospital. They're sayin' I flew home and didn't wanna work. I don't get it, these guys were wacked out."
Road: Do you think your wife's pregnancy broke up VH?
Hagar: "If my baby coming into this world, spilt up this band, then those men are criminals. When Wolfie or Eric (Eddie and Alex's boys, respectively) were born, I didn't quit the band and run off and do a solo LP. I was supporting them. If me falling in love with a woman and having a child effects this band, then they're crazy. If there's a Yoko Ono in this band it's Valerie Bertinelli, not my wife, Kari. I know that she has Ed's ear...you know how women are, man."
Road: Explain the actual break-up call...
Hagar: "Eddie called me and told me he was working with Roth for the last couple of weeks and that it was going great and that I should go back to being a solo artist. (Begins to mimic Eddie Van Halen, voice and all) 'Aw , man you never do anything anybody asks you. All you ever do is everything you wanna do. I can't deal with it anymore, so I got so frustrated I went and got Roth back. We've been working for the last couple of weeks and it's going great. We're gonna do a reunion tour and a couple of new songs for a greatest hits record, 'cause you didn't wanna do it, so you might as well go back to being a solo artist.' Quote , unquote. I'm going, 'Huh?'"
Road: Was that the last straw?
Hagar: "Yeah. When they went and got Roth back in the band...To me, that was the biggest backstab I could imagine. I wanted to be, the lead singer of Van Halen for the rest of my life, but when Ed told me they were getting Roth back in the band-I was like, 'Fuck You, Fuck Roth and Fuck everybody.' I was pissed. It was like coming home and finding your wife in bed with her old boyfriend."
Road: Do you believe Van Halen had planned a reunion tour with David Lee Roth?
Hagar: "Without question. They had a reunion tour booked, because I was going to go to Europe and break in a band. The promoters said, Van Halen has got the billings and it would be good for me to be there at the same time. I said, 'Wow.' Instead of going right in the studio, I was going to do this thing backwards, by playin' clubs in Europe in the fall of 1996. That was a fact. Ray Danniels was the one who built the whole, 'Dave's Back' thing. He was involved in it long ago, probably two months before I even knew. I was in there, trying to change my baby's diapers, and these guys are planning this whole thing with David Lee Roth Ścause the manager told MTV, who told me personally, that Van Halen was gonna play the MTV Music Awards with David Lee Roth and then announce the tour. Then, it blew up in their face two weeks before that when they went to rehearse. Dave couldn't sing the old songs. So, they said they would then just present an award. They were planning a tour and all that stuff."
Road: How can you confirm that? Do you think they were outright lyin' about having no reunion plans?
Hagar: "Valerie went on the internet and said, 'Dave is back, it's better then it used to be. They're gonna do two new songs for a greatest hits and go on tour.' I have the computer read out at my house. Then she disappeared off the net. Those guys are lying to save face. That's what my first single, 'Little White Lie,' is centered upon. They wanted to do a reunion with Roth and I believe Roth is telling the truth and I would never side with that fuckin' guy. They were conned into it by the manager, and they didn't have to do it. These guys are idiots! Eddie says he's sober, he's full of shit. If he is sober, then he should start drinkin' again. They are making the worst decisions."
Road: It seems so bizarre that the band would fall for the idea of bringing Roth back...
Hagar: "Al and Mike were dead against it, so was Eddie, I don't know what happened, I think they just got talked into it. It was a money thing, they figured, 'Hey, we'll make a bunch of money.' Valerie even said it on the Internet, I have the printout at home. Roth got fucked on that one-there ain't no doubt about it. It was probably from his own doings...I mean, did you see him on MTV? Pretty stupid, ya know...that is why Dave will never be an artist, cause he won't cut that bullshit loose."
Road: Do you ever feel that if the Kiss reunion never came to pass, that this whole Roth thing would have never happened?
Hagar: "Absolutely-100% positive. He even said it to me. He said he could get huge guarantees and a huge buyout concert tour for a Van Halen reunion tour and Roth would work cheap. He kept putting that little hint to me because I wouldn't get along with Ray. I would buck a lot of things he did or said, 'cause I felt he was selling the band down the river. He was always bucking with me and that was his little inside joke. 'Just got an offer from Howard Stern for 3 million dollars for a VH reunion track with Dave for the 'Private Parts' movie soundtrack.' Meanwhile, I just did Howard's show this morning, and Stern told me that Danniels asked him for $1 million dollars for the track and that he told them, 'No way can I pay Van Halen $1 million dollars.' Ray told me, in the same room with the band, that he got an offer of an excess of $3 million dollars for a VH reunion track with Dave. This is before we split. Eddie said, 'What did they offer for us?' (meaning VH with Sam). Ray says, 'Uh, I dunno...a lot less.' Eddie and I looked at each other and said, 'That's a fuckin' insult! You can tell them all to get fucked! That's bullshit!' Eddie and I were in agreement. This is the kind of thing he would do to try and manipulate me and I can't be manipulated."
Road: Be honest, did Roth's reputation intimidate you a bit?
Hagar: "I didn't wanna be compared to old Van Halen. I'll be honest with you, I did have some insecurities. I would walk out on stage every night knowing those people wanted to hear, 'Jump' and 'Runnin' With The Devil' and I wasn't gonna do Śem. I was a little bit nervous about that, but at the same time, I knew the new music we had made was powerful and strong. I just came off a successful solo tour, so it was easier. I thought the best thing that we could do was come out as a brand new band. That's what we tried to do."
Road: You mentioned, in recent interviews, that you'd like to meet Roth. What would you ask him?
Hagar: "The first thing I would ask him is, 'Exactly when were you contacted? What did they say was up? What did they tell you? Why did they say they wanted you back? Did they tell you, 'Sammy's not in the band anymore'? Did they say, 'We're gonna get rid of Sammy'? Sammy's left the band?'"
Road: Did you hear the two songs with Roth- Me Wise Magic & Can't Get This Stuff No More? What was your opinion of them?
Hagar: "I didn't think it was worth breaking the band up for (laughs). But, it wasn't bad. When I first heard, 'Me Wise Magic,' I thought it was some bad ass music. I would have liked to tear that fucker up. The other one was a reject from Balance, that I wrote with Eddie, called, 'The Backdoor Shuffle.' They totally stole the melody in the chorus from my original. I just made one phone call and Ray Danniels overnighted me a check for $35,000, saying he was sorry. These guys don't have any class anymore."
Road: Every band has tension but what was Van Halen lacking that couldn't mend the tension?
Hagar: "A band like Van Halen needs good guidance. You need a good strong arm like Ed Leffler. He wouldn't let us do things. If they wanted to do that milk commercial, Ed would have said, 'NO WAY!' We probably wouldn't even have heard that we got asked to do it, Ścause it would have been turned down before we could even hear about it. The second Ray Danniels came into the picture, everything changed. They'll do anything, 'cause it's all about money now, which is crazy, 'cause Eddie doesn't need money. We tried other managers...we could have had Shep Gordon and Johnny Barbis as a team, who were going to team up and manage Van Halen, for the same price as Ed Leffler. We could have had Aerosmith's ex-manager, Tim Collins, who did a great job with them, if you notice, they're not doing as good without him. Every manager in the world stepped up to the plate."
Road: Did you feel manager Ray Danniels was brought in on the sneak?
Hagar: "They picked him long ago. I went through a lot of hassle, spinning my wheels, interviewing guys, asking David Geffen who it should be. They didn't even care."
Road: How did Ray Danniels come into the picture?
Hagar: "Ray Danniels was already told that he had the job by Alex and Eddie Van Halen before even speaking to me about it. They were acting like, 'Well, what are we gonna do for a manager?' They said, 'Would you mind meeting with Ray?' I said, 'Of course I wouldn't mind meeting with Ray.' But in my head, I was going, 'There's enough family in this band!' Plus, I really didn't like the guy. I had met him before 'cause he came down for a few shows when we played in Toronto. So, I met with Ray and started to ask him a few questions...He lives in Toronto and our record company and the band members live in California. So I said, 'Ray, would you have an office in L.A.?' He goes, 'What? Join the boys club in L.A.? No, thanks!' I said, 'Well, that's a negative' (to the guys in the band). Next question, 'What percentage do you want, Ray?' He says, '20%....of the gross.' So I said, 'So, you want to make twice as much money as us?!' He starts hemming n'hawwing, going, 'Well, you know...' I said, 'No, no ...OUT! No way!' It was always a fight with him, cause all he wanted was to take, take, take. Ed Leffler made 15% of the net. Ed Leffler was the greatest rock manager that ever lived, because he came into such a big band with me and worked honestly. He was on a net guild, like the band-we're on a net deal. We paid out all our expenses. Well, this clown (Danniels) wanted 20% of the gross!"
Road: Why did they agree to that?
Hagar: "Cause he's Alex's brother-in-law and they already told me he had the gig. These guys are still paying him that much. I never paid him a penny. That's why I'm outta the band, that's 1/2 the reason."
Road: So, it was Ray Danniels is mostly at fault for this fiasco?
Hagar: "Yup. It was Ray Danniels who was poisoning Ed's mind, putting the wedge between us. On the 'Balance' tour, Ed and I had separate dressing rooms, not by my request. Things started changin'. I saw it dying, I knew that this was it. I told Ray Danniels, 'You gotta do something to bring this band together, like Aerosmith does, cause I can't work with Eddie.' If I said 'black' Ed would push for 'white' and Alex would side with Śem. I didn't wanna be around 'em and I wasn't being cooperative, I admit."
Road: Do you think Ray felt threatened by you?
Hagar: 'Totally. I used to tell Ray more about the business then he knew half the time. He would come to me and say, 'What do you think about this, and what do you think about that?' I'd say, 'Here's what I think...' He'd continue to hem n'haw, never, 'Oh, great idea, I'll do it.' then he'd go back and get with Ed and Al with a different idea, blow my whole idea out. Making himself feel like, 'Hey, I'm taking charge here!' He was always trying to show us that he was Mr. Smart, Mr. Fearless. He would make fuck-up after fuck-up..the guy's a clown."
Road: Who headed the band?
Hagar: "When I came into this band, there was no hierchary, that was Dave's job. Roth was the leader of Van Halen, no question about it. The rest of the guys were totally passive. These guys didn't have a fearless leader. When I came into the band, I sort of became the leader. I took Alex on as my partner, because he was more business-like then the others. I could say, 'Al, c'mon that's not a good thing we shouldn't do that' or 'Hey, we should do that' or ŚWe gotta be careful here.' Alex and I took care of a lot of that stuff, while Eddie and I wrote the music."
Road: How did you keep track of band developments on the managerial side?
Hagar: "Ed Leffler and I were close. He was my manager when I was a solo artist. I always wanted to know what was going on, on the business side of things. With a band, it's more difficult, 'cause as a manager you can't call each guy in the band and tell the same story...it's a busy thing. So you call one guy and he tells everybody else or when you see the band, you say, 'Hey, by the way...' Ray talked to Alex and Eddie a lot. He wouldn't talk to me. Then I would find out what they were up to and say, like, 'Whatta ya mean we're doing a Greatest Hits record? Eddie, we sat here and fought a Greatest Hits record for years and we all agreed we didn't want one. Ray Danniels was renegotiating the VH Warner Brothers contract, and he was adding to it, two Greatest Hits records, guaranteed. He was making a big deal for a lot of money. But, we didn't need money. I posed the question, 'Would you do a Greatest Hits record for free? Do you think it's the right move for this band? If not, then don't do it for money, man, 'cause I don't need money- I'm cool."
Road: Is it true, that built in your contract with Warner Brothers was a clause allowing you to make solo albums for the label?
Hagar: "I had a contract with Warner Brothers that I could do a solo album after every Van Halen record, but the band would never let me do it. Ed Leffler would say, 'Sammy, your crazy. This is the greatest band in the world. You do anything to hurt this band, I'll break your neck. Eddie's right you're wrong.' So, I'd admit it. So I wouldn't do it. Or, then he'd say the same to Eddie, 'Sammy built the club in Cabo San Lucas, he deserves to go down there for a couple of weeks and vacation and play with different musicians. That ain't hurtin' Van Halen, it's good for this band. Eddie, you're wrong.' Eddie would say, 'O.K. Ed.' On the other hand, Ray Danniels would say, 'Fuckin' Sammy's down in Cabo. Whatta you guys think he's doing, he's gonna quit the band, he's startin' a new band down there. I don't trust him.' If I wanna kill anybody on the planet, it's him."
Road: You seemed like you were close with VH bassist Mike Anthony while you were in the band. Do you two still talk?
Hagar: "They got Mike by the balls. Mike is still my friend but he can't go against the brothers, they'll kill him. They've had him by the balls forever. Mike means well, but he is doing what they tell him. Believe me, Mike knows everything that happened. One day, he will write a book and we'll all find out. Mike left a New Year's message on my answering machine. He was wasted. (Imitates Mike) 'Sam, I gotta talk to ya brother! I miss ya, I love ya, man. Ooooh, you don't know, man, you don't know what's goin' on.' I'm going, 'I think I got a good idea, Mikey.' I called him back two days later when I got home and left two messages on his machine but he never returned my call."
Road: How would you describe guitarist, Eddie Van Halen as a person?
Hagar: "Eddie's the kinda guy where if he was walking down the street and someone said to him, 'Hey, man the lyrics on 'Amsterdam' sucked.' He would go back to the studio and say it sucked. But, if someone came up to him in the same day, and said, 'Hey, those lyrics on Amsterdam' are cool!' He would come to the studio and say, 'You should write more stuff like that!' Now, that's not what happened. I'm just givin' you an example of the way he is. Ed is easily manipulated, it's ridiculous."
Road: How do you feel about drummer, Alex Van Halen?
Hagar: "I used to say to my wife, 'Alex is the kinda guy I could call up at 4AM in the morning and say, 'I need you to help me' and he'd jump into his automobile, light up a cigarette, crack open a beer and be over in minutes, with a gun and all the cash he's got.' I can honestly say that about Alex Van Halen. Eddie almost the same. Michael...I'd never ask him to do something like that. Mike was my hangin' buddy. I'd call him up and say, 'Mike, let's go jam in Cabo this weekend!' Michael's not evil, the brothers just got him by the balls. I've always felt sorry for Mike. I was the only guy who stood up for Mike. He's in trouble now, Ścause he's got no one to stick up for him. I fought for Mike all the time."
Road: You came into contact with the band only once after the break-up when you saw each other at a mutual friend's funeral. What was the exchange?
Hagar: "Eddie was soooo uncomfortable, 'cause he felt soooo guilty. (Imitates Eddie) 'Aw man, it's so uncomfortable. I love ya, man.' He gives me a hug, but he couldn't even look forward, plus, he had sun glasses on. I'm goin', 'Hey, Ed...whatta ya, so uncomfortable about? It's no big deal.' (Hunches down sheepishly mimicking Ed) He says, ŚIt doesn't feel right runnin' into ya.' I'm going, 'WHY?!' (laughs) It was very obvious to me. Because your feelin' guilty motherfucker? I didn't say that, 'cause of the funeral circumstances, but if you we were anywhere else, I would have said, 'Take off your shades Ed and let's talk about this eye to eye.' Alex was totally cool, we shook hands. Mikey gave me a quick hug and then went back with Eddie, 'cause if he was seen with me they would have beat him up in the car ride home (laughs). The brothers are tough on Mike, man."
Road: What was your opinion of their choice of Gary Cherone (former Extreme singer) for the band's singer #3?
Hagar: "Gary Cherone, although I don't know him-everybody says that he's the nicest guy in the world and I don't deny his talent, but he's got his hands full. He's got to fill not only my shoes, but Roth's shoes. It was a tough enough job for me and I was coming off a double platinum album. He's coming from zero."
Road: Have you heard some of Nuno Bettencourt's (ex-Extreme guitarist) comments ....
Hagar: "Fuck him, man. He was sayin' shit like, 'Van Halen finally sounds like a real rock band. They got a good lyricist for a change and a charismatic performer.' I'm saying, 'Well, if you were both so fucking good, why didn't you guys make it?' Nuno came to a show one time and I complemented him on 'More Then Words.' I asked him if Gary was his brother because of the way their voices blended so well. He goes, 'Fuck no! That asshole ain't my brother!' I knew they were done then, the guy's got a bit of an ego trip. But, it's going to be tough for Gary. I always had an advantage over Roth that I could really sing. He's up against more then that. Personally, I don't think you're gonna see the band last."
Road: I understand you suspected Van Halen of rehearsing other singers behind your back?
Hagar: "Stevie Salas, a friend of mine, who was dating Sass Jordan, calls me up in February or March of 1996 and goes, 'Wow, man. What's going on?' I said, 'What do ya mean, what's going on?' He said, 'Fuck, man, my old lady's over there jammin' with Eddie & Al saying that if she didn't have tits, she would be the singer of the band.' I had the baby April 1st, so in March, I wasn't coming down so they knew it was safe to bring people down. But, I didn't believe it till later on. I then realized, 'These guys have been planning this forever.' I still love Ed, Al and Mike, I can't help it. We did such great things together and the end was very disappointing. But, it is what made Marching to Mars as great as it is. Disappointment turned into creativity for me. I'm the type of person, you tell me I can't do somethin', I'll do it twice as hard."
Road: Did you hear that Roth is finally gonna publish his autobiography with new chapters on the Van Halen botched reunion...
Hagar: "Good for him. I feel bad for Roth, 'cause I don't think he has a career anymore. Unfortunately, he never crossed over as an artist, he was always a showman. Now, he has to be a clown his whole life or be a gossip monster, that's why he's writing that book: to sell dirt. I actually feel more sorry for Eddie and Alex, 'cause they're pitiful right now."
Road: I heard your writing a book, is that true?
Hagar: "I am, but it's not just a Van Halen gossip book, it's the story of my life. It won't come out for a while...But, listen, if you see Roth, tell him we gotta talk. I know his book is comin' out and I'm not lookin' to steal any fire from him."
Road: There are a lot of crazy rumors currently surrounding the band. What have you heard about the VH camp recently?
Hagar: "I heard Alex was fired from the band. Apparently, he's back to his ol' drinking ways. They have tried to get him back to rehab, he's in bad, bad shape. I called Scotty Ross (VH Road Manager) and offered to come down. I told him, 'I was there the first time we put Al away and I'll be there again. I'll sit there and look Eddie straight in the eye and I'll help.' "
Road: I can't honestly believe Eddie would kick Al out of the band...
Hagar: "Let me tell you, they fight...and without someone like me or Ed Leffler there to mediate it, it's trouble, 'cause Ray ain't gonna do it. Word from my attorney, who is their attorney as well, is that Ray is afraid to go down there. He ain't helping out, he should be there for them right now. Mikey's not playing on this record. It's fucked up. I heard Gary is back in Boston, 'cause Eddie's writing with this Mike Post guy, the jingle-TV theme songwriter. I'll pat myself on the back here, Eddie now knows what I did in that band. Those guys take everything for granted, they don't realize what other people do. They didn't realize what Ed Leffler did for them, they don't realize what Ray Danniels is doing to them. They don't know...Eddie's probably sayin to himself, 'Why don't I have any songs yet?' I heard he's trying to do a double album. Why does he have a double album worth of music and no songs yet? That's because Sammy made songs outta that music. I'm the one who wrote the melodies and lyrics saying, ŚThat's a verse, that's a chorus.' Mike Post is now helping Eddie arrange lyrics and melodies for someone to sing, 'cause Gary Cherone can't walk in and do it. I'm not an easy guy to replace."
Road: Do you want to beat out Van Halen re: sales, concerts, etc.?
Hagar: "You bet I would. To be as successful as VH would be a dream come true. As much as they want me to roll over and die, I want to make this work. They are trying to make me the bad guy, like they did with Roth, 'cause it worked for them the last time. That's another manipulation by the manager."
Road: How has Van Halen changed you?
Hagar: "Van Halen has made me a better musician, a better songwriter and better singer. Playin' with a guy like Eddie for 11 years, if you're not a better guitar player, then you should never pick up the instrument again. I didn't copy what he did, but I understand the instrument better and heard what a master can do. It's inspiring."
Road: Do you feel old, as you're reaching the 1/2 a century mark?
Hagar: "Fuck, no. I can run 18 miles, ride a mountain bike 50 miles. I can knock out 100 push-ups and sit-ups at a time. I'm in as good a shape as I've ever been."
Road: Eddie seems to think there's a generation gap between you two...
Hagar: "Eddie acts like he's so much younger then me, but these guys shave years, I don't. Eddie's sayin' shit like, 'I'm like 40, man and he's like 50.' I'm goin, 'No, I'm 49 and your 43, Ed. Don't be readin' the bio! (laughs)."
Road: Is it weird to have a son in his twenties and a baby at the same time?
Hagar: "It's fantastic. My baby has an uncle and a big brother all wrapped up in one and a father and a grandfather all in one, too (laughs)! I'm as happy as I can be."
Road: I realize you happy now, but, what was your initial reaction when realizing you were back to being a solo artist?
Hagar: "I felt like, I don't wanna do this but I know how to do this and I will do this. Once I started, I got into it and started lovin' it. There was a lot of freedom. I started to get excited. I was free again, it felt good. I was responsible for the lyrics and melodies in VH. When I began writing my own music, I realized, this is fun. No wonder Ed digs doing this shit and sticks me with the lyrics."
The Road: Are you concerned about losing the Van Halen fans you spent the last 11 years with? Do you think they will be into your solo material?
Sammy Hagar: "I think so. I was in the band for 11 years, we developed a whole new following. I think a lot of fans will wanna check out what I'm doing. I'm gonna play 3 hours-old Hagar songs, VH songs, Montrose songs, acoustic set in the middle, new songs, no opening act. If you liked Van Hagar, you'll like what I'm doing. I was worried about the Van Halen fans because I kinda made a departure and those guys tried to make me out as the bad guy, but I gotta tell you now-I didn't quit this band. I would have never quit this band. Plus, I want the fans to know that I didn't fuck'em and I would never fuck'em."
Road: Can you ever see yourself smoking the peace pipe with VH?
Hagar: "I can't stand to think that I will never be on stage with Van Halen again. I know someday we'll get together...not for a reunion tour, not for a reunion record, but for a benefit or free concert. To put that magical thing we have back together for a good cause would be great. My hope is, one day enough time will go by that we can give each other big hugs, be the friends that we once were and maybe play that music one mo' time. If that never happened then it would be so much more disappointing then what just happened."
Road: Say Roth wasn't ever brought back into the picture, would you have still parted from the band?
Hagar: "Yeah. If I was in that band, I would probably quit right now. After the 'Twister' soundtrack (with one song), Greatest Hits w/ two new songs, milk ad and Nissan commercial. I would have quit, but I was gone before all that. When Ed Leffler died, the band that we created in 1986, died with it. I'm sorry to say that, cause they are all great musicians. But, their integrity and consideration for the people who put them in their positions, sucks."
Road: The real shame, is that one of the greatest rock bands in the world turned into a total soap opera...
Hagar: "Yeah and the new manager allowed it. I gotta blame Ray Danniels (VH Manager) for damn near everything. It's poor guidance Van Halen has always been a soap opera. Back when Alex used to drink and Eddie was doing drugs, it was worse. And I'm not tryin' to burn on these guys, but it was horseshit. Between Eddie being in jail for drunk drivin' and his fights with Valerie-it was crazy. Ed Leffler, our old manager, kept it out of the press. This new fuckin' criminal crams it out in the press, 'cause he thinks press is good for this band to keep them famous. Van Halen has the worst guidance in the world right now and that's why I'm not there."